NFC Championship ticket-buying tips

A limited number of Chicago Bears playoff tickets are scheduled to go on sale on Tuesday, January 18, 2011, at 2 PM, through Ticketmaster.

The Bears will host the National Football League Championship game on Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 2 PM, against the Green Bay Packers.

All playoff game ticket sales through Ticketmaster are via phone and Internet only. Fans may charge by phone at (800) 745-3000, or on-line at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are priced at $134.00 to $586.00. There is a limit of four (4) tickets per customer or billing address. Tickets purchased through Ticketmaster are subject to a per ticket customer convenience charge. Ticketmaster accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and Diners Club cards.

Wheelchair seating is available for the playoffs through Ticketmaster. Should the wheelchair seating allocation through Ticketmaster become exhausted, fans with disabilities are encouraged to proceed with the purchase of conventional seating - if available - then call the Bears ticket office to arrange an exchange.

For further information, please call the Chicago Bears ticket office at (847) 615-BEAR (2327) or log on to www.ChicagoBears.com.

According to StubHub.com the secondary-ticket market is a $10 billion dollar a year industry which includes professional brokers, speculators and season ticket holders. Because many of these sellers are not licensed or bonded and are often found on unregulated online auctions, online classifieds, and bulletin boards using person to person sales sports fans need to be more skeptical and on the alert.

"Chicago Bears fans need to do their research before spending large amounts of money on NFC Championship tickets," said Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. "Sports fans are often blinded by their devotion to their team and run the risk of putting their trust in a seller that doesn't deserve it."

In the past twelve months alone, there have been 171 complaints filed and more than 20,000 inquiries to the BBB about companies in the "Ticket Sales - Events" category.

If you are considering buying tickets on the secondary market, the Better Business Bureau offers the following tips to ensure a successful transaction:

Check to make sure the broker is licensed as required in the state of Illinois.

Avoid paying cash for tickets in person from a stranger in case the tickets may be counterfeit.

Do not ever wire funds for payment.

Deal only with brokers that provide clear details concerning the terms of the transaction. For instance, you should know up-front the amount of the surcharge for each purchase; whether the tickets are guaranteed; how they will be sent to you and the timeframe for delivery; and the broker's refund, rescheduling and cancellation policies.

Check if the ticket broker is a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB) and the Better Business Bureau.

Visit several Web sites to compare prices and ticket availability for the event you're interested in attending.

Do not buy tickets from Internet sites that are not secure or lack a privacy policy; fail to disclose their refund, rescheduling and cancellation policies; do not provide a telephone number and fixed place of business; or insist on cash payment.

Verify the location of the seats on a seating chart provided by the venue to avoid purchasing non-existent seats or seats with obstructed views.

Pay with a credit card or another secure form of payment so you can dispute the charge with your credit card issuer or bank.

"The most common way sports fans are getting scammed online is by either paying for counterfeit tickets or tickets that never arrive," added Bernas. "Even if the tickets do surface, they are sometimes not for the seats the seller advertised - which can mean being stuck with seats that aren't next to each other, up in the nosebleed section, or with an obstructed view."